Newsletter Two


	Andrew Mellor is the Manager of the Anti-Bullying Network, a post he took up after spending 25 years teaching in Dalry in Galloway. He started to search for a better way of tackling bullying in 1987 after being confronted by a number of difficult cases in his own school. Most of his time now is spent helping callers to the InfoLine (0131 651 6100); speaking to teachers, parents and young people in schools across the country; and writing about new developments in the anti-bullying field. Here he discusses one frequently asked question: What Strategy?
	"Many of the callers to our InfoLine want to know what is the best anti-bullying strategy. Unfortunately, there is no single strategy that is best on all occasions and in all situations. It would be so simple, wouldn't it, if Anti-Bullying News could be renamed What Strategy? and emulate What Hi*Fi?, What Car? and What Camera? by awarding stars or ticks. It's tempting...

	Enough of that - we are not dealing with consumer durables here. And despite any claims to the contrary, there are no off-the-shelf products just waiting to be bought which will solve all bullying problems. However, the Anti-Bullying Network is collecting evidence from schools in Scotland and elsewhere to show that a variety of strategies are working and that these have a number of common features. It is clear that effective anti-bullying strategies: look towards finding solutions to problems rather than "getting to the bottom of things" involve young people and/or parents as well as professionals focus on relationships, including those between adults as well as those between young people encourage open discussion and the development of a positive ethos. To find out what is going on in schools in Scotland, the UK and elsewhere, come along to one of our conferences, browse this website or call our InfoLine on 0131 651 6100.

	The first edition of Anti-Bullying News [here], contained a list of interesting sites from across the world. Here are some others which will be useful to teachers, parents, pupils and students. Please contact us if you have any comments about these sites, or if you know of others not listed here or elsewhere on this website. Please note that we are not responsible for the content or availability of any site other than our own.

	Site Description	Location
	Barbara Maines and George Robinson of Lucky Duck Publishing are the creators of the no blame approach to bullying. Lucky Duck publishes videos, books and training materials focusing on behaviour management, bullying, circle time, self esteem and special needs.

	Our sister organisation, the Scottish Schools Ethos Network, recently relaunched its website. Many of the case studies on the site feature work done by schools with the aim of improving relationships and preventing bullying.

	The Samaritans have produced a free teaching pack designed to help secondary schools tackle subjects such as stress, anxiety and isolation. It can be downloaded from their website.

	This New Zealand site contains information for both young people and adults. A set of guidelines for schools prepared by the New Zealand Police is included.

	The Campaign against Bullying in Ireland is "aimed at being more a gadfly than an elephant in its opposition to bullying." Its site contains information about workplace and school bullying.

	This site describes The Main Project Against Bullying in elementary schools. It will be of interest to students researching the topic and teachers. It contains a review of literature.

	PeaceBuilders is a long-term, community-based, violence reduction/crime prevention programme. It is designed to help create an environment that reduces violence and establishes more peaceful ways of behaving, living and working. The Anti-Bullying Network is supporting a trial of this programme in a Scottish primary school.

	Families Against Bullying is a voluntary non-profit making organisation, based in England, "providing free confidential advice and support to victims of school bullying and their families."

	This site contains advice for children and parents and is produced in co-operation with the London-based Anti-Bullying Campaign.

	The problem of workplace bullying is covered by a number of sites. This one is aimed at members of the Fire Service but contains much that will be of interest to people in other professions.